After a few years of retreating from making fully original recordings and concentrating on my role as an accompanist I'm finally heading into the studio to record my own songs again. I have plans for not just one but THREE separate projects, but first to capture the elusive improvised delicasy of Paper Mouse.

Robbie and I exchanging Paper Mouse energy in from of a beautiful house concert audience.

I'm so excited! I've been saving up songs for so long! Watch this space for more news...

I am really not sure why I am so evidently hopeless at keeping this news page updated. Maybe it’s because life flies by at an incredible pace, or maybe it’s because the people I meet and the experiences I encounter so regularly in this crazy musical merry-go-round are such profound connections I feel I need to document them properly. So naturally I am overwhelmed by the task. :/

But it is unforgivable to leave it any longer. So with an hour to kill here at Wellington International Airport I’m just going to reflect a bit on these crazy last few months of 2015.

Firstly ONE THOUSAND APOLOGIES to all generous pre-sales supporters of You & Me Vol.3. All intentions were to have it in your hands by now, but a few factors have combined to stall the process and it’s now looking more likely to be a mid to late November mail out. Whatever happens I will move heaven and earth to get it to you before Christmas!

2015 kicked off in style with some fab gigs at Woodford Folk Festival with Fred Smith and Jane Thompson, and the festival spirit just kept coming with a solo gigs at Daylesford Singers Festival and Mount Beauty Music Festival; gigs with Fred Smith at Illawarra Folk Festival, Newstead Live, Nannup Music Festival, Perisher Peak Festival; gigs with Miriam Lieberman at Denmark Festival and appearances with UK folk superstars Chris While and Julie Matthews at Port Fairy Music Festival.

I also had another successful February Album Writing Month with my first proper collaborations resulting in some treasured new songs. In particular one UK songwriter, Matt Blick, honoured me with his talents and I can’t wait until I can get back in the studio to put down some album worthy versions of those songs.

Winter was mostly spent recording You & Me Vol.3 which is so close to being finished I can almost smell the CDs burning. It is another snapshot of my musical community including duets with awesome musicians including Mike Nock, David Bridie, David Francey, Co-Cheól, David LaMotte, Mal Webb, Alanna & Alicia Egan, and so many more.

Then it was off to travel the length and breadth of the east coast with John Flanagan playing music to as many people as we could find. Playing John’s music is one of the newest pleasures in my recent musical journey. He is an incredible songwriter and a generous and beautiful human.

Most recently I am just returning from a musical reunion with Fred Smith and our very first appearances in New Zealand, culminating in an incredible 3 days at the Wellington Folk Festival. So many new friends including the renegades from Albi & the Wolves and King Leo, also fellow girl troubadours Kirsty, Krissy Jackson, Kim, Jenine Abernel and Cindy Muggeridge. Great to catch up with old friends including, Mike Moroney, Bob McNeil, Gareth and Ruth.

Sigh… Whenever I leave it this long for an update it always turns into a shopping list of events, impossible to convey the ridiculous amounts of flow, love and life. I am stupidly spoilt by this incredibly rich life. When I start to recall the memories of just one 10 month period it feels like a whole life full of explosions of colour and magic.

I will stop to highlight one musical relationship in particular however.

My ongoing, slowly-evolving collaboration with Trentham guitarist Robbie Melville is a seemingly bottomless source of joy and adventure. We have tentatively emerged onto a couple of attentive stages this year but it still feels like an embryonic form of what we are capable of. Mostly I feel trusted. Trusted with chaos, trusted to be the foundation for some beautiful music in the moment. I also feel instantly forgiven for any mis-step, forgiven for over extending, forgiven for misplaced enthusiasm, forgiven for self indulgent flights of tasteless fancy and self obsessed, maudlin meandering. And appreciated. Really appreciated for being my full and honest musical self. Thanks Robbie. Let’s keep exploring, huh?

To all of you who have been supporters of my music, you probably don’t realise how often you help me walk the tightrope between being able to make ends meet by playing, and washing dishes at the local pizza joint. THANK YOU!! You are STARS!!